Logical reasoning PrepTest 117 · Section 3 · Question 4

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed/Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
M: Edison made technological advancements but he had only a few months of formal education so formal education isn't necessary to make such advancements.

F: Technology is more advanced now and to make contributions you need more technical knowledge so today you need formal education to make contributions.

Answer Anticipation:
Frank brings up a difference between Edison's time and ours highlighting that more technical knowledge is needed today to contribute to advances. However he then concludes that formal education is needed to make contributions. That ignores the possibility that technical knowledge could be gained outside of a formal setting—for instance in an apprenticeship or just tinkering in your garage while watching YouTube videos. Let's find an answer pointing out this jump.

Answer Explanation:
This answer highlights the gap in Frank's argument. He establishes technical knowledge as a requirement for contributing to advances but he then concludes that formal education is necessary. That ignores the possibility one could get the technical knowledge outside of a formal setting.

Key Takeaway:
First make sure that you "translate" conclusions that refer back to earlier ideas. Here Frank's conclusion is that "That" is no longer true—we need the context of what "that" is to make sense of it. Second as always new concepts that show up in an argument's conclusion are likely related to the flaw. Here while Maria does discuss formal education Frank doesn't outside of his conclusion so he's likely assuming something about it.

Incorrect. Any changes made are out of scope—what matters is whether formal education is necessary to get the technical information needed to contribute to advances.

Incorrect. There's no indication that either of them is using the word in anything other than its common definition. We'd need to be able to actively define the word differently in the context of each speaker for this to be the answer and in both cases the word seems to mean something similar to "important."

Incorrect. Frank's argument is about modern times, so other inventors in Edison's time (and even Edison himself) are out of scope.

Incorrect. Frank doesn't need to criticize Maria's statements about Edison. In fact, Frank seems to concede that Edison proves Maria's point, in Edison's time. He just questions whether it's still true today.